Our beautiful life as a family.

November 22, 2009

You are ten years old today my sweet girl! How quickly ten years have gone by.

Ten years ago, we spent the night before you were born in the hospital. I was actually scheduled to have you on November 29th but in complete Bessie spirit, you were anxious to get here. With two older siblings at home, everything was ready, including your name. We had all decided to call you Morgan. Rie and Adam had been talking to Morgan, making pictures for Morgan. We even had a Christmas ornament with your name, Morgan, painted on it. There was just something about that name… I just wasn’t settled with it.

The nurses came in to take me to surgery (you were a C-section baby) and I asked them to stop for a minute. I told dad that I wasn’t ok with naming you Morgan. “What? Now…right now, you want to change the name?” was dad’s response. Yep – I had another name for you…. Sara Elizabeth. Isn’t that the most beautiful name? We would call you Sara Beth – and lots of other little nicknames, some that have stuck….some not – SaBe, for instance (daddy and Natalie).

You came in to the world without incident. Pretty quickly you decided to give everyone a scare with your breathing. Daddy went with you to keep an eye on everything and I came by the nursery shortly after. You were the special baby in the nursery with this big, clear, oxygen helmet. The doctors assured me that this little stunt wasn’t all that uncommon for C-Section babies. But…it didn’t matter – I was most upset and wanted to hold you! No worries, they said. And…sure enough, you were with me in a couple of hours. We hauled around an I.V. the entire time we were in the hospital but we didn’t mind – you were doing great.

Adam and Anne-Marie came to visit and held you, fed you…and Rie tried to change your diaper. You had a head full of “black” hair. Funny, you’re the only one that had any hair and it was black – and has been blond ever since.
We went home from the hospital on Thanksgiving day. What an incredible Thanksgiving! We had a very special blessing in 1999. Coco came from Birmingham with all the yummy “Coco” food we had missed at her house. The day was perfect!

A memory for this morning from when you were 16 months old….and very, very verbal – Daddy brought you to the hospital to see Keegan. You came in to the room with your beautiful blond curls bouncing. Daddy had dressed you in blue-jean short overalls. “Hi, mommy!” you said. Then climbed up on my bed and looked over in to Keegan’s bassinet and said, “What’s that?” At some point after going home with Keegan, we were having a particularly loud day where Keegan was crying and crying. Remember, you were 16 months old. You said, “please, mommy – put her up”. Oh Bessie!

Since then, my sweet girl….you have been a light in our lives each and every day. From when you were very small right up to last night when you went to bed; you make us laugh with your silliness; we scratch our heads and ponder your rationale thinking; we watch you dance and wonder where that talent came from; your voice makes me cry; your determination is noteworthing; the love you have for our Lord is precious. This 10th year will be filled with more Bessie excitement, love, and adventure.